now that i have the bedknobs and broomsticks song in my head...i know there are a lot of mommies and daddies on the pad and i could really use your help. we are buying a new stroller. the one we have is ok, but the only time we really use it is at disneyland so indi spends a lot of time in it when we do use it. since we are going to disneyworld in the spring i want to get one that will last us for a really long time and be really comfortable. i think the one i want is the peg perego 2003 venezia model. i really like it because it has the mesh boot so that blankies don't get lost, and the handlebar turns around so that indi can face me. does anyone have any experience with these or peg perego's in general? any tips on getting one cheaper? i found one in red that i really like on ebay, but they want almost as much as it would be to buy one new. the problem is, i can't find that color anywhere. any ideas?

if you have a stroller that you really love that isn't peg perego i would love to hear about those as well. thanks in advance.

You will find more than you ever wanted to know about strollers if you go to the parenting forum and search with stroller. I love my Macclaren (I don't know if the spelling is right) it isn't cheep either, but very strong, packs well with a shoulder strap for carrying. However, mine doesn't recline, an issue for sleeping kids. It does have optional shoulder straps which have worked for us when our 2 yr old is sleeping. Since it is tubing and mesh it breathes well. I don't know how old indi is though- it wouldn't be good for a very young baby. The pegos are very nice and more couch like, so that is a plus. I went to Babys R Us once to get a stroller for someone else and was surprised about the number of lower price look alikes that looked good to me. PS there is a great under the bridge play area by Thunder mountain just for toddlers.

Boy that was fast- moved to Parenting even before I got done typing my message!!! Oh well, you are in the land of stroller experts for sure now.

Originally posted by tracilicious
does anyone have any experience with these or peg perego's in general?

ME ME ME!!! I have two pegs: Milano (single) and Tender (tandem double). I love my Pegs. Love them. They're very easy to fold and put away. They've been very sturdy. The Milano is almost 5 years old and the Tender is 2+ years old. The baskets aren't the biggest but I think that their quality is top.

The number one piece of stroller advice I have: Make sure you have "four-wheel-drive"! Make sure you have double swivel wheels in front AND back. When we were shopping for our single-stroller, I told someone I loved her stroller and she said "DON'T BUY IT!" One set of wheels didn't swivel and it caused headaches, especially when they reversed the handle to face the baby instead of the baby facing out. (Does that make sense?)

any tips on getting one cheaper? i found one in red that i really like on ebay, but they want almost as much as it would be to buy one new. the problem is, i can't find that color anywhere. any ideas?

I've made almost all of my major baby purchases at Bergstroms. There are two stores- one in Anaheim, one in Irvine, and I believe they do mail-order, too. Crib, changing table, pack & play, strollers, car seats, booster seats, highchairs, etc. They all came from there.

I have found that Bergstrom's prices are the same or less than other big discounters (Babies R Us, Totally For Kids- a daughter store of Burlington Coat Factory, etc) and when they have sales, I can get even better deals.

I special-ordered my milano because no one carried the fabric I wanted in stock. At Bergstroms, the special-order price was always the same or LOWER than buying the stuff they had in stock.

When Matthew was born, Bergstroms was the only place I could find Baby Bjorns-- now even Target sells them! But I've been very happy with the prices and selection of Bergstrom's Baby furniture and accessories. (I wouldn't pay for clothes there, but all the stuff "upstairs" seems to be well priced.)

if you have a stroller that you really love that isn't peg perego i would love to hear about those as well. thanks in advance.

I have an Aprica that I wouldn't wish on my enemy, but no non-peg perego that I recommend. :)

Adrienne

i'm so glad you posted! i was debating between the milano and the venezia but i read some reviews that said the milano is really big and hard to maneuver in small spaces. have you brought it into any stores in disneyland? have you noticed a problem getting it in and out of trunks? does it absorb shocks well? my husband is having a cow about the price, but i think i have convinced him it is worth it.

Originally posted by tracilicious
i'm so glad you posted! i was debating between the milano and the venezia but i read some reviews that said the milano is really big and hard to maneuver in small spaces. have you brought it into any stores in disneyland?

The Milano *is* bigger than the Venezia, that's true. Yes, I've taken my strollers into DLR stores- especially the Milano lots. I'm not going to pretend it was "easy" to push around the store... But let me put it this way: If the aisle is 12" wide and you have a 16" wide stroller and a 14" wide stroller, yes, the 14" wide stroller will be easier to push through but it still isn't going to be easy. DLR stores have tiny space. Plus, remember, you'll have those swivelly wheels that do at least make steering easier ;)

have you noticed a problem getting it in and out of trunks?

I have an Explorer- No problems there. We also have an Accord. The Tender is hard to get into the Accord. The Milano will take up lots of room in the trunk but it's not hard to get into the trunk. I really really really love how I just fold it up and it's locked into place to put away.

does it absorb shocks well? my husband is having a cow about the price, but i think i have convinced him it is worth it.

It *has* shock absorbers in it, LOL. A stroller- go figure! I lucked out because eager grandparents bought our strollers. Personally, like I said earlier, I think ours have held up *very* well.

Adrienne

When we decided to go to WDW in January '03, we knew that we did not want to take our expensive stroller so we went to Babies R Us and tested ALL the strollers for over an hour. We bought an Eddie Bauer stroller. It was large enough to be extremely comfortable with a large basket, manuverable enough for small space shopping, but also, when it folded up you could still roll it on all 4 wheels. It has now become our stroller of choice even over our larger more expensive one. We call it our Disney stroller as it has now been to orlando twice. I would say, just go to a store and try them all out.

Try how easily the turn, how heavy they are, how easily they fold up with one hand, how much they can carry.... and so forth.